Adult ; Device Removal ; methods ; Ductus Arteriosus, Patent ; Heart Septal Defects, Atrial ; therapy ; Humans ; Male

Ergosta-4,6,8(14),22-tetraen-3-one (ergone) is one of main components in many medicinal fungi. Ergone has been reported to possess the activities of diuresis, cytotoxicity, antitumor, immunosuppression, as well as treatment of chronic kidney disease. According to reported literatures, an overview of spectroscopy characteristics, content determination, pharmacological activity and pharmacokinetics, etc. for ergone is presented in this review. Furthermore, the present review can provide a certain reference value for the further study and development of ergone.
Animals ; Cholestenones ; chemistry ; pharmacokinetics ; pharmacology ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; pharmacokinetics ; pharmacology ; Humans

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects of Wuhuang Tangkangling on tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) in serum of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).

METHODOne hundred cases of type 2 diabetes mellitus patients were randomly divided into two groups. The control group was treated with pioglitazone (15 mg x d(-1)) orally once a day in the morning, combined with insulin subcutaneous injection based on blood glucose level. The treatment group was treated with decoction of Wuhuang Tangkang Ling daily, 8 weeks as a course. TNF-alpha, IL-6, hs-CRP, fasting blood glucose (FBG) and postprandial blood glucose (PBG) were tested for two groups of patients before and after the treatment And other 50 healthy cases were tested for comparison.

RESULTBefore treatment, the level of cytokine, FBG and PBG in the serum of patients with T2DM were significantly higher than healthy cases (P < 0.01). In treatment group, difference between before and after the treatment had statistical significance (P < 0.01); after treatment, difference between treatment group and control group had statistical significance (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONWuhuang Tangkangling could significantly decrease the level of TNF-alpha, IL-6, hs-CRP, FBG and PBG in patients with T2DM, and could decrease blood glucose, anti inflammatory, and improve insulin resistance. According to testing these cytokines, a new criteria for evaluating the progress of T2DM and the treatment may be approached.

C-Reactive Protein ; metabolism ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 ; blood ; drug therapy ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Interleukin-6 ; blood ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; blood

OBJECTIVETo investigate the clinical effect of decoction of invigorating Qi and clearing lung combined standardized myrtol on acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD).

METHODNinety and eight patients with AECOPD patients were randomly divided into the treatment group and the control group, with 50 cases and 48 cases respectively. All the patients were given the conventional treatment. The control group was treated by standardized myrtol with 3 times a day, 300 mg each time taken orally. The treatment group was given decoction of invigorating Qi and clearing lung with 2 times a day, one dose per day taken orally, combined standardized myrtol (usage as above). After Two weeks, the scores of clinical symptom, blood gas analysis and pulmonary function were observed.

RESULTBoth FEV1 and FEV1% were raised in the two groups after treating. And the treatment group was significantly higher than control group (P < 0.01). PaO2 and PaO2/FiO2 rose, with PaCO2 decreased in the two groups (P < 0.01). PaO2 and PaO2/FiO2 were significantly improved, and PaCO2 was significantly decreased in the treatment group compared to the control group (P < 0.01). In the clinical curative effect comparison aspects, clinical control rates were 42.0% in treatment group and 20.83% in control group respectively, with significant difference between the two groups (P < 0.05). Significant efficiency is 86.0% in treatment group and 52.08% in control group respectively, with significant difference between the two groups (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONDecoction of invigorating Qi and clearing lung combined with standardized myrtol can obviously improve clinical symptom, blood gas an analysis and pulmonary function in patients with AECOPD.

Aged ; Blood Gas Analysis ; Drug Combinations ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; Female ; Humans ; Lung ; physiopathology ; Male ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; methods ; Middle Aged ; Monoterpenes ; standards ; therapeutic use ; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive ; blood ; physiopathology ; therapy ; Reference Standards ; Respiratory Function Tests ; Treatment Outcome

Objective To investigate histopathological changes and expression of integrin ?1 of sternomastoid muscle,and probe the mechanism and significance during disease process in congenital muscular torticollis(CMT).Methods Histopathological changes of sternomastoid muscle section stained with HE and Gomori silver staining were observed and the expression of integrein ?1 with immunohistochemistry was detected,and the expressive quantity and distribution with image analysis system was quantitive analyzed.Results 1.With light microscopy observation,the results showed that the fibrous degeneration of sternomastoid muscle could be summed up 2 kinds: A category displayed the myocytes atrophyed,and there were lots of connective tissue hyperplasy around myocytes,and the direction of fibrous arrangement was disordered,meanwhile there were lots of vessels and nervers hyperplasy,and eventually the myocytes shrank back and disappeared.B category displayed that the structure of cross striation or sarcomere disappeared or changed,and myocytes could maintained the outline and the sarcolemma were integrated,and then fibrous pathological changes of myocyte took place,and there were lots of fibroblast-like that had much more enations between fiber bundles.With Gomori silver staining,the major changes of fibrotic sternomastoid muscle showed that there were lots of collagenous fibers hyperplasy.The arrangements of collagenous fibers were disordered in A category and were well-arranged in B ca-tegory.2.With immunohistochemistry,the results showed the expression of integrin ?1 was weak positive in normal control group(125.7?5.167).In diseased groups,the results showed 3 different extents:the expression of integrin ?1 displayed stronger positive in A category myocytes(30.15?6.543),and the level of expression was significantly different from normal controls(P0.05).Conclusions The fibrous pathological changes of sternomastoid muscle are a complicated and gradually process,which may has different mode,and ingetrin ?1 may participated the process of pathological changes.

BackgroundSeveral cornea collagen crosslinking methods have been used to treat keratoconus.However,the safety of these methods is dissatisfactory.Glyceraldehyde is a very potent and highly reactive crosslinking agent,with little toxicity,but its effect on corneal biomechanical property is poorly clear.ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to evaluate the biomechanical effects of glyceraldehyde collagen crosslinking on rats cornea.Methods Fifteen clean SD rats were randomly divided into 0.005 mol/L glyceraldhyde group,0.050 mol/L glyceraldhyde group and blank control group.Glyceraldhyde drops was topically administered in the right ryes 2 times per day for consecutive 7 days in the 0.005 mol/L and 0.050 mol/L glyceraldhyde groups,and no any eye drops was used in the blank control group.Seven days later,the rats were sacrificed.Transparency of corneal buttons in these different groups was evaluated.The central corneal strips of 2 mm×6 mm with 2 mm scleral tiasue were obtained for the biomeehanical stress-strain measurement,including ultimate stress ( MPa),ultimate strain (％) and 6％ elastic modulus (MPa).Corneal collagen fibril density was assessed by histological examination under a light microscopy.The use of the animals followed the Regulations for the Administration of Affair Concerning Experimental Animals by State Science and Technology Commission.ResultsThe words could be clearly displayed transcorneally in all the three groups.When strain was 6％,the stress was (0.463±0.065 ) MPa in 0.005 mol/L glyceraldehyde group,(0.846±0.240) MPa in 0.050 mol/L glyceraldehyde group,both showing a significant increase in comparison with (0.195±0.103 ) MPa of the blank control group (P=0.029,0.000 ).Following the crosslinking treatment,the ultimate stress was significant elevated in 0.050 mol/L glyceraldehydes group compared with the blank control group ( ( 10.759 ± 3.337 ) MPa vs.(5.295± 1.313 ) MPa,P =0.007 ),but no significant change between the 0.005 mol/L glyceraldehydes group and the blank control group ( ( 6.043 ±2.084) M Pa vs.(5.295 ± 1.313 ) MPa,P =0.660 ).Corneal ultimate strain was lower in the 0.005 mol/L glyceraldehyde group and 0.050 mol/L glyceraldehyde group than the blank control group (36.57％ ±3.09％ vs.43.87％ ± 1.89％,P =0.009;28.53％ ±1.89％ vs.43.87％ ± 1.89％,P =0.000).However,significantly increased 6％ elastic modulus were seen in the 0.005 mol/L glyceraldehyde group and 0.050 moL/L glyceraldehyde group compared with the blank control group ( ( 7.718 ± 1.076 ) MPa,( 14.102 ± 4.011 ) MPa vs.( 3.252 ± 1.717 ) M Pa),with statistically significant differences ( P =0.029,0.000).Histological examination showed a increase of collagen fiber density in the 0.050 mol/L glyceraldehyde group.Conclusions Corneal collagen crosslinking induced by glyceraldehyde strengthens biomechanical intensity and increases the density of corneal collagen fiber.But the safety of glyceraldehyde crosslinking for keratoconus needs further study.

A new method of identification and study of diversity of endophytes wa s described in this paper. The seedlings of tomato were treated using four meth o ds, sterile water, chemical reagents, ultraviolet radiation and mechanical to pe el off, respectively. Then endophytes were isolated using plates of beef- pept on e, Gaos I and PDA respectively. The optimal method of wiping off non-endophyte s was determined. We had obtained 148 isolates of endophytes with different size, shape and color. 43 strains of 148 were amplified using method of ERIC-PCR. T he results showed that 32 strains with amplified bands could fall into 28 classes. The purified bacteria were cultured confronting to leaf blight pathogen of tomat o to screen high resistant strain. Three bacteria strains with high resistance to pathogen were obtained.

Small interfering RNA (siRNA) is the initiator of RNA interference and inhibits gene expression by targeted degradation of specific messenger RNA. siRNA-mediated gene regulation has high efficiency and specificity and exhibits great significance in the treatment of diseases. However, the naked or unmodified siRNA has poor stability, easy to degrade by nuclease, short half-life, and low intracellular delivery. As an emerging non-viral nucleic acid delivery system, ionizable lipid nanoparticles play an important role in improving the druggability of siRNA. At present, one siRNA drug based on ionizable lipid nanoparticles has been approved for the treatment of rare disease. This review introduces the research progress in ionizable lipid nanoparticles for siRNA delivery, focusing on the effect of each component of lipid nanoparticles on the efficiency of siRNA-mediated gene silencing, which provides new references for the studies on ionizable lipid nanocarriers for siRNA delivery.

BACKGROUNDThe mechanisms of action for volatile anesthetics remain unknown for centuries partly owing to the insufficient or ineffective research models. We designed this study to develop three strains derived from a wild-type Drosophila melanogaster with different sensitivities to volatile anesthetics, which may ultimately facilitate molecular and genetic studies of the mechanism involved.

METHODSMedian effective doses (ED(50)) of sevoflurane in seven-day-old virgin female and male wild-type Drosophila melanogaster were determined. The sensitive males and females of percentile 6 - 10 were cultured for breeding sensitive offspring (S(1)). So did median ones of percentile 48 - 52 for breeding median offspring (M(1)), resistant ones of percentile 91 - 95 for breeding resistant offspring (R(1)). Process was repeated through 31 generations, in the 37th generation, S(37), M(37) and R(37) were used to determine ED(50) for enflurane, isoflurane, sevoflurane, desflurane, halothane, methoxyflurane, chloroform and trichloroethylene, then ED(50) values were correlated with minimum alveolar concentration (MAC) values in human.

RESULTSFrom a wild-type Drosophila melanogaster we were able to breed three strains with high, median and low sevoflurane requirements. The ratio of sevoflurane requirements of three strains were 1.20:1.00:0.53 for females and 1.22:1.00:0.72 for males. Strains sensitive, median and resistant to sevoflurane were also sensitive, median and resistant to other volatile anesthetics. For eight anesthetics, ED(50) values in three strains correlated directly with MAC values in human.

CONCLUSIONSThree Drosophila melanogaster strains with high, median and low sensitivity to volatile anesthetics, but with same hereditary background were developed. The ED(50) are directly correlated with MAC in human for eight volatile anesthetics.

Anesthetics, Inhalation ; pharmacology ; Animals ; Chloroform ; pharmacology ; Drosophila melanogaster ; drug effects ; growth & development ; Enflurane ; pharmacology ; Female ; Halothane ; pharmacology ; Isoflurane ; analogs & derivatives ; pharmacology ; Male ; Methoxyflurane ; pharmacology ; Methyl Ethers ; pharmacology ; Trichloroethylene ; pharmacology

To study the chemical constituents of Periplocae Cortex, the separation and purification of 70% alcohol extract were carried out by column chromatographies on AB-8 macroporous resin, silica gel and preparative HPLC. The structure of the compounds were identified by NMR and TOF-MS. A new compound was isolated and identified as 21-O-methyl-Δ5-pregnene-3β, 14β, 17β, 21-tetraol-20-one-3-O-β-D-oleandropyranosyl(1-->4)-β-D-cymaropyranosyl-(1-->4)-β-D-cymaropyranosyl (1), named as periplocoside P.
Glycosides ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Periploca ; chemistry ; Pregnenes ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Saponins ; chemistry ; isolation & purification